Section 460.2352. Diaphragm-type meters; meter tests; reports.

(1) A utility shall comply with the provisions   of   R  460.2351, except that a utility that receives approval from the commission may adopt the requirements of this rule.

(2)    This rule applies only to diaphragm-type meter categories that    have   a rated capacity as follows:

(a)   ) Category 1 - 500 cubic feet per hour or less.

(b)   Category 2 - 501 cubic feet per hour to 1000 cubic feet per hour.

(c)   ) Category 3 - 1001 cubic feet per hour or more.

(3)   As used in this rule:

(a)   "Meter class" means a group or groups of meters as assigned by the utility according to specified meter characteristics, such as TMS  (type, make,  size),   set year,  year   of  manufacture,    or   other   similar characteristics.

(b)    "Norm" means the acceptable meter accuracy    range      between     98%      and 102%.

(c)   "Test point," for a meter, means the  numerical     equivalent    of    the accuracy variance from norm, with 1 test point equal to a  1%  variance.  For example, a meter that

is between 104.1% and 105.0% or    between   95.0%     and 95.9% accurate on test would have 3 test points.

(4)   The overall annual test rate criteria shall be determined pursuant to all of the following provisions:

(a)  ) Determine the average test points per meter  for  each  meter   class (Pmc).

(b)   Multiply the total number of installed meters at year-end in each class by the respective Pmc to determine the total test  points  for  each meter class. The test points for each meter class shall be added to arrive at total overall test points (Pt) for all installed   meters   specified   in subrule (2) of this rule.

(c)   Divide Pt by the total number of installed meters  at  year-end  to determine the overall average test points per meter.

(d)  Using the overall  average  test  points   per    meter    determined     in subdivision

(c)  of this subrule,  determine the   required    percentage   of total overall test points to be corrected the following   year   based   upon the following table:

Percentage of total

Overall average test   overall test points points per meter (Pt)  to be corrected

.060 or less	2
.061 - .09	3
.091 - .12	4
.121 - .15	5
.151 - .18	6
.181 - .21	7
.211 - .24	8
.241 - .27	9
.271 - .30	10
.301 - .33	11
.331 - .35	12
.351 or more		15

(e)   Multiply Pt by the applicable percentage of the points to be corrected as specified in subdivision (d) of this subrule to determine the total minimum test points to be corrected for the following year.

(f)  The sum of Pmc times the number of meters  tested  for  each  meter class for the following year shall meet or exceed the  total  minimum  test points to be corrected as determined in subdivision (e) of this subrule. The mix of meters to be tested shall be at the utility's discretion, if the requirements of subrules (5) and (6) of this rule are met.

(g)   With commission approval, a utility may modify the requirements set forth in subdivisions (b) to (f) of this  subrule  so   as  to  make  the required computations based not on the utility's test data  from  the  prior year, but on the utility's test data from a calendar year 1 year  earlier.

(5)    Except for the nonregistering meters, all meters that are removed from customers' premises shall be tested and shall form the basis of determining the total minimum test points to  be  corrected  for  the following calendar year in accordance with the provisions of subrule (4) of this rule. If a utility has knowledge that a particular class  of   meters  is not  maintaining  satisfactory   accuracy    and   cannot   be   repaired

to maintain satisfactory accuracy, the class of meters shall  be  removed    from service and retired.

(6)   Not less than 2% of the total meters that are originally set in each set year and not less than 2% of the total meters in service in each meter class shall be tested annually, except that a meter need not be removed for testing within the first 4 years after it is set.

(7)  Not later than March 1 of each year, utilities shall file a report of the meters that have been tested during the preceding calendar year. The report shall detail all of the following information:

(a)  All of the following meter characteristics:

(i)   Set year.

(ii)   Type of case.

(iii)   Manufacturer.

(iv)   Type of diaphragm.

(v)     Revenue  classification, either commercial  and     industrial      or residential.

(b)   The number of meters in each meter class tested and found within the norm and within each 1% variance from norm between 94% accuracy and 106% accuracy. Meters that are slower than 94% and faster than 106% shall each be grouped separately. For a utility that has more than 500,000 customers, the commission may approve a further 1% variance for  meters  that  are slower than 94% and faster than 106%.

(c)  A comparison of the total test meters that  were  tested  in  the preceding year with the standard required pursuant to   the  provisions  of subrule (4) of this rule.

(d)   Information and data that are needed to compute the total minimum test points to be corrected for the subsequent year in accordance with the provisions of subrule (4)(a) to (e) of this rule.

(e)    The identity of the meter classes to be used for  the  subsequent year, including an explanation for any meter class changes.

(f)   A separate section on meters that were retired during the preceding year that details the information identified in subdivision (a)  of   this subrule and the reasons for the retirement of the meters.

History: 1979 AC; 1984 AACS; 1993 AACS.